FEARS have been expressed that Barrow town centre will turn into a ‘ghost town’ after the closure of another shop.

The British Red Cross charity shop on the corner of Dalton Road and Cavendish Street closed earlier this month after the occupants announced they would not be renewing their lease.

Tracey Pickering, regional retail manager for the British Red Cross in the north of England, said: “We are actively looking for a new site for our shop in Barrow in Furness.

“The lease on our shop in Dalton Road is up and it will not be re-opening.

“We would like to thank everyone in the town for bearing with us and we look forward to welcoming you all into a new shop as soon as we possibly can.”

Myra Kelly said: “Why don’t they just close all shops down, it's like a ghost town anyway. Barrow town and market (when it was the old marker) was lovely. Absolutely nothing now.”

Karen Harris said: “So many empty shops in and around Portland Walk, I hope Barrow manages to turn it around once things start to pick up.”

Billy Dale said: “Barrow was finished years ago thanks to our Council. Do not blame the pandemic it has been deprived for years. Money that has been given from government grants was squandered by the council paying millions to private companies to come to the town to tell us how to improve our town. Any advice they offered was ignored or classed as too expensive, so we got nowt and the council pot short of a few million to pay for the legal fees for these companies. How much you think its cost us for that waste of money on Dalton Rd. The council never listen to what we want you have to give most of them a Sat Nav to find Scot Street. Says it all when the council ran out of money, so they scrapped the festive switch on."

Lisa Ritch said: “Another, not much left just quid shops. Council better pull their fingers out and sort it.”

Pong Wongsatham said: “If charity can't make it smaller business got no chance.”